1. Technical Field
The present disclosure relates to earrings. More particularly, the present disclosure relates to earrings having at least one attachable accessory.
2. Background of Related Art
Jewelry having additional accessories includes a single replaceable component, interchangeable components, and supplemental components to a permanent setting. The additional components can include costume jewelry or supplemental settings including jewels connected to the earring by mechanisms such as screws into threaded sockets, loops onto wires, biased tongues into sockets, and bias means. These mechanisms strive to bring a balance between providing a secure connection for the additional component and an ease of removing and replacing the components.
A configuration for an earring including removable components is described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,836,176 to Lichtenstein et al. Lichtenstein et al. teaches an ear lobe securing assembly configured as a wire having a terminal end that is secured by a hinge arm when worn. A pin having a loop on one end and a stop on the other is configured for the positioning of the ornamental jewelry. The loop is threaded onto the open end of the wire and is configured to hang freely from the lowest point of the wire. One or more ornamental components can be positioned on the pin between the loop and stop. Lichtenstein et al. is limited in its style of ornamentation by the requirement to thread each component onto the wire. Further, to change the configuration of the Lichtenstein et al. earring is excessively time consuming requiring the steps of taking off the ear of the wearer, disassembled, the pin reassembled with new ornaments, installing the pin back in position on the wire, and positioning the earring in the ear of the wearer.
In U.S. Pat. No. 6,058,737 to Domagala, a closeable loop wire earring is described that enables a supplemental setting gemstone or component to be threaded onto and positioned on the wire. Domagala is constrained, like the Lichtenstein et al. configuration by the necessity for threading the supplemental component along the wire. This also limits the manner and ability of the supplemental component can be positioned relative to a permanent setting.
In U.S. Design Pat. No. 6,131,408 to Gill, a ring having a readily attachable enhancer is described. The enhancer is an additional setting configured for positioning in the vicinity of the primary setting of the ring. The enhancer has a channel type shape configured for being positioned on and at least partially around the inner circumference and sides of the annular surface of the ring below the primary setting. The enhancer has a stem with a bulbous tip positioned in a bottom of the channel configured for positioning into a bore or cavity in the ring. The bore has an o-ring defining an aperture configured for receiving and retaining the bulbous tip. Gill is limited by the method of attachment of the enhancer to the ring because the ability of the enhancer to be properly positioned is totally dependent on the o-ring to stem and bulb interface. Open o-ring interfaces are vulnerable to degradation of the elasticity, tearing, and becoming fouled with dirt over time. Further, while the security of the enhancer is at least partially improved by the position of the wearer's finger. The Gill configuration is stated as reducing the ring by one quarter of a size as a result of the enhancer being mounted on the inner surface of the ring.
A continuing need exists for an earring configured for easily attaching an ornamental accessory to the earring.